Introducing The Diamond

— 12.11.15

by Simon Spode

The start of term in September 2015 saw the opening of the University’s new £81 million Diamond building – our largest ever investment in teaching and learning.

Located on the site of the former Jessop's Hospital, opposite St. George's Church, the Diamond creates a fantastic place for modern interdisciplinary teaching, and also provides specialist engineering teaching facilities, a range of lecture theatres, seminar rooms, open-plan learning spaces, library services and social spaces, including a café.

The Vision for the Diamond has been to give staff and students the ability to move between formal and informal learning situations in new and exciting ways. A variety of environments with different types of study spaces - low density study spaces, enabling effective long duration study and enabling 100% occupancy to be achieved without degradation of study space quality and collaborative workspaces to enhance strong learner support provision.

See below for the architects fly-through of the building;

The Diamond's Facilities

almost 1000 study spaces

over 300 individual study spaces that can be silent for exam preparation

16 group rooms ranging in size from 6 to 20

many more informal meeting and collaboration spaces ranging from soft furniture to study booths

low-density study spaces designed for effective long duration study

open and secure 24/7

fully accessible for all students

supported by an expanding rich digital collection, with a core print reference collection

dynamic on-demand loanable collection

wifi throughout

8 Media editing booths

2 rooms with a total of 30 high-end media editing machines

1 recording studio

4 computing teaching labs with more than 400 computers

variety of other teaching spaces ranging from lecture theatres to more collaborative studios accommodating 2000 students in total